The Feminist Fight for Gender Equity: Lisa Ann Walter and Advocates Renew Push for ERA Ahead of 2024 Elections

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe, the battle to restore abortion rights has been front and center. Less visible are efforts to enshrine women’s equality into the Constitution—the continuation of a campaign that conservatives thought they killed more than 40 years ago. Not true.

Champions of the ERA have been working tirelessly to get Congress to publish the 101-year-old measure that would ban gender-based discrimination. Although women have made considerable strides over the last century, a constitutional right is the only guarantee they will make further gains and keep them in perpetuity.

Decisions Belong to the Pregnant Teen: Montana Court Strikes Down State’s Parental Consent Act

The Supreme Court of Montana used state constitutional grounds to strike down the Consent Act, which required minors to obtain parental consent for an abortion. The court’s analysis of these justifications determined that they were clearly intended to obfuscate the antiabortion animus behind the Consent Law.

Having revealed the baselessness of the underlying justifications for discriminating against teens who choose abortion over childbirth, it becomes readily apparent that these are antiabortion laws—plain and simple—that aim to divest teens of control over this reproductive choice.

Standing on Suffragists’ Shoulders: Silent Sentinels Will Take to the Streets on Oct. 5

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Taking place exactly one month before election day on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, from 10 a.m. to noon, women and men of vision will take to the streets of their respective communities as Silent Sentinels to help galvanize the vote.

“We plan to be out there to remind people that it is our responsibility as members of this democracy to vote, that the hard-fought right to vote is something to treasure and protect. It’s not something to take lightly,” said Muffy Francke, co-chair of the October 5 action.

The Political Life of Beyoncé’s ‘Freedom’

The sonic power of Beyoncé’s “Freedom” has done the work in freeing our minds to imagine women’s leadership on the world stage. It has found new life articulating a “Freedom” agenda for presidential nominee Harris. Harris’ campaign insists on forward movement. This freedom story of the nation and the world is far from over. It’s this possibility of leadership that is quite on brand with Beyoncé’s “Freedom.”

Whatever Happened to CEDAW?

It’s been 45 years since the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, often described as an international bill of rights for women. Yet some younger feminists haven’t even heard of it.

The vast majority of the world’s nations—96 percent—have ratified CEDAW. The U.S. is not a signatory because it has never made it to the Senate floor for a ratifying vote—making it only industrialized democracy in the world that has yet to ratify it.

(This article originally appears in the Summer 2024 issue of Ms. Join the Ms. community today and you’ll get issues delivered straight to your mailbox!)

The Moment Requires Us to Be Valiente!

The Valiente Fund is a new (but long overdue) donor collaborative, grantmaker and accelerator unleashing the power of the next generation of Latine changemakers while addressing the severe underinvestment in our communities. 

(This essay is part of a Women & Democracy package focused on who’s funding the women and LGBTQ people on the frontlines of democracy. We’re manifesting a new era for philanthropy—one that centers feminism. The need is real: Funding for women and girls amounts to less than 2 percent of all philanthropic giving; for women of color, it’s less than 1 percent. Explore the “Feminist Philanthropy Is Essential to Democracy” collection.)

Youth Are Protecting Our Democracy. We Need to Invest in Them.

For centuries, girls and gender-expansive youth have been engaging in democracy through their communities, developing social contracts and mobilizing for civic engagement.

Despite their crucial role, they remain undervalued and underfunded. Grantmakers for Girls of Color (G4GC) is working to change this by mobilizing resources for youth-led organizations across the United States. Investing in these young leaders and their initiatives will foster a more equitable and just democracy.

“Just because we can’t vote yet doesn’t mean we don’t care!”

(This essay is part of a Women & Democracy package focused on who’s funding the women and LGBTQ people on the frontlines of democracy. We’re manifesting a new era for philanthropy—one that centers feminism. The need is real: Funding for women and girls amounts to less than 2 percent of all philanthropic giving; for women of color, it’s less than 1 percent. Explore the “Feminist Philanthropy Is Essential to Democracy” collection.)

Why a Feminist Approach to Philanthropy Is Synonymous With Effectiveness

A feminist approach to philanthropy, as demonstrated by the Hive Fund for Climate and Gender Justice, focuses on two key tenets: making long-term, flexible grants to empower women of color leaders, and supporting collaborative leadership that fosters collective action. This approach has proven effective in addressing complex societal issues, particularly in the U.S. South, by providing financial security, affirming leaders’ expertise, and recognizing the value of building broad coalitions for democratic engagement and climate justice.

(This essay is part of a Women & Democracy package focused on who’s funding the women and LGBTQ people on the frontlines of democracy. We’re manifesting a new era for philanthropy—one that centers feminism. The need is real: Funding for women and girls amounts to less than 2 percent of all philanthropic giving; for women of color, it’s less than 1 percent. Explore the “Feminist Philanthropy Is Essential to Democracy” collection.)